Hi-Viz mast top

[zoidberg]

Many working boats painted the topmast white, for visibility. Probably that's the only colour they had. Many masts are entirely white nowadays.

A few boats have a bright-coloured top section to their masts, again for improved visibility in big seas, drizzle.....

What do peeps think of the idea?

 

[Bajansailor]

Anything to increase the visibility of your boat can only be good (generally) I reckon.
Although a short section of orange masthead might not be too visible depending on conditions.

An orange or bright yellow hull would be worth considering re the point of view of visibility - but then it might disappear in the troughs of the wave, and only appear briefly on the crests.

I have often seen cargo vessels with a bright orange strip on the coaming above the wheelhouse - although I think that this might also be to help ensure that the crane operators see the superstructure more easily when they are handling cargo.

 

[Neeves]

We use red AF as helicopter pilots tell me that, white, blue, green hulls are less easy to see in rough water. . We have never tried it in anger

If its bad your storm headsail will be Fluor red/orange. If its so bad you don't have a head sail in use then the top of a mast is not really a very large target, a black 'V' on a yellow background (of a suitable size) strapped across the foredeck seems more appropriate. I have seen cats with this decoration, under the bridgedeck.

For best results - use an epirb - your red smoke flare and even a parachute flare will draw attention before they see the top of your mast.

But it costs nothing (to paint the mast) - go for it. 1,000nm offshore no-one is going to be critical of the decor.

Jonathan

 

[sarabande]

Sizeable patches of retro-flective material (known as "high-tac" for stickability) are worth considering. In a crowded or v dark mooring even a small torch will show up the masthead clearly. Plain white paint has limited value.

 

[Stemar]

When ambulance went from white to their current Battenberg livery, I got a length of leftover yellow dayglo/reflective tape and put a couple of strips round my mast. I don't know if it added much during the day, but finding her in crowded moorings at night was a good deal easier - just wave a torch around and there she was. For serious "here I am" in an emergency, it would help, but I think I'd want a bit more.

 

[Frogmogman]

Less pessimistic than having fluorescent appendages I guess.

Why not . If it makes you more visible? As Sarabande and Stemar suggest, some reflective strip might be good too.

 

[Neeves]

When ambulance went from white to their current Battenberg livery, I got a length of leftover yellow dayglo/reflective tape and put a couple of strips round my mast. I don't know if it added much during the day, but finding her in crowded moorings at night was a good deal easier - just wave a torch around and there she was. For serious "here I am" in an emergency, it would help, but I think I'd want a bit more.

We have it , either side, on the end of the boom for the same reason - its easily seen from the dinghy or another yacht coming into a dark anchorage.

Jonathan

 

[Roberto]

I put two strips of retroreflective tape on the radar reflector, the picture is taken from the pontoon, the reflector is about 15m high, looks quite effective, useful to identify the boat position while at anchor as well. At night of course.
I hid it under a rag once while sailing from Trinidad to Grenada, without navigation lights, ais etc in "stealth"mode.

For the full monty, one might consider applying hi-visibility paint to the keel/rudder, that gives a very "racy" outlook

 

[HissyFit]

I have been thinking about applying something from these guys on my topside. If they're out looking for you with a searchlight in the dark, this will make you stand out. It's also helpful to identify your boat with a torch, in a crowed anchorage after a night in the pub.

GLOWTEC British Made SMART Paints & Products

 

[Hacker]

Many working boats painted the topmast white, for visibility. Probably that's the only colour they had. Many masts are entirely white nowadays.

My understanding was that the end of the mast (and booms and gaffs) were painted white to reduce heat gain where the spar was thinner. It might help with visibility as well

 

[prv]

My understanding was that the end of the mast (and booms and gaffs) were painted white to reduce heat gain where the spar was thinner. It might help with visibility as well

Perhaps also the places where chafe and damage from gear was more likely, and paint is easier to touch-up than varnish.

As to the original question, I tend to think that it's all a bit irrelevant to my typical cruising around the South Coast and occasionally cross-Channel in reasonable weather. It would be like keeping a Land Cruiser with winch and sand-ladders to drive across a slightly damp campsite ?

The recognition marks for returning from the pub do seem like a clever idea, but I haven't yet had an issue finding the boat at anchor or on a mooring so I'm not in a hurry to add them.

Pete

 

[Wing Mark]

My understanding was that the end of the mast (and booms and gaffs) were painted white to reduce heat gain where the spar was thinner. It might help with visibility as well

I was told it was because the spars were tapered, so pint was used to protect exposed end grain, better than oil or varnish..

Ii it was to do with visibility, black is easier to see against the sky.

Not sure I believe any of the theories TBH.

 

[Hacker]

I’m looking out of my window at 2 moored pilot cutters , both built by Luke Powell. Both have the spar tapered ends covered in white paint, in some cases around 6ft. Doubt if Luke would have difficulty using oil or varnish if he wanted to.

 

[Wing Mark]

I’m looking out of my window at 2 moored pilot cutters , both built by Luke Powell. Both have the spar tapered ends covered in white paint, in some cases around 6ft. Doubt if Luke would have difficulty using oil or varnish if he wanted to.

But then the boats are not operating in the 1700s where the tradition probably comes from?

A more credible theory might be 'so the birdshit doesn't show!'.

Another theory I've heard is that originally on many rigs, that part of the mast would be covered in canvas against chafe.

It's dangerous to retrofit reasons to the past without evidence.

These days the best reason to have the top section painted would be to keep the sun off the carbon fibre.

 

[Sandy]

I have several friends with a section dayglow orange at the head of their sails. Very effective when looking for them on a grey sea.

 

[Blueboatman]

I’m looking out of my window at 2 moored pilot cutters , both built by Luke Powell. Both have the spar tapered ends covered in white paint, in some cases around 6ft. Doubt if Luke would have difficulty using oil or varnish if he wanted to.

You are a lucky man
nice view

 

[boomerangben]

As a helicopter pilot, I can’t see the colour at the top of the mast making a great deal of difference in making a vessel easier to spot. Having said that white yachts with white sails are surprisingly difficult to spot if there are any breaking crests. I get the use of orange storm sails and reflective tape I think makes a big difference at night. If you need to be seen by day from the air, pyros offer (imho) the only really effective way of getting you found quickly in a crowd or breaking seas. I’m not saying you won’t be found without, but generally would be found more quickly with.

 

[Hacker]

But then the boats are not operating in the 1700s where the tradition probably comes from?

A more credible theory might be 'so the birdshit doesn't show!'.

Another theory I've heard is that originally on many rigs, that part of the mast would be covered in canvas against chafe.

It's dangerous to retrofit reasons to the past without evidence.

These days the best reason to have the top section painted would be to keep the sun off the carbon fibre.

You’d paint the whole spar white if you were concerned about guano showing.
Baggywrinkle is used for chafe protection.
You’ve just confirmed the reason with your carbon fibre comment.

 

[capnsensible]

My radar reflector is orange.

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

Many working boats painted the topmast white, for visibility. Probably that's the only colour they had. Many masts are entirely white nowadays.

A few boats have a bright-coloured top section to their masts, again for improved visibility in big seas, drizzle.....

What do peeps think of the idea?

Terrible thing to have on a start line.